Introduction by Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson (1743, April13-1826, July 4th)

He was the third president of the United States of America (180 1 year-1809). He was also the main drafter of the American Declaration of Independence (1776) and one of the most influential American Founding Fathers. Major events during his term of office included the Louisiana Purchase (1803), the embargo bill (1807) and the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1807).

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Nickname: Tom Long Legs; San Monticello; People's people

Birth and death:1743.4.13 ~1826.7.4.

Term:1801.3.4 ~1809.3.4.

Origin: Plantation owner

Education: University (College of William and Mary, Philosophy, Literature)

Occupation: lawyer, civil servant, farmer

Party: Democracy and the Party (Founder)

Religion: the only monotheistic Sect

Title: Governor of Virginia (second term), Secretary of State (first term), Vice President of the United States (second term).

Woman: Mathea Wells skelton Jefferson.

Children: 3 sons and 3 daughters.

Martha Washington Jefferson,

Jane Randolph Jefferson,

Baby boy (premature death),

Mary wells Jefferson,

Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson I,

Lucy Elizabeth Jefferson II.

Works: Declaration of Independence, Virginia Documentary, Kentucky Resolution, etc.

Famous saying: people have long been deprived of their autonomy. Now, it all depends on how we enjoy these blessed places harmoniously and harmoniously. Examples show that human beings have enough rationality to manage human affairs and the will of most people, and the natural laws of every society are the only reliable guardians of human rights.

As a political scientist, Jefferson insisted on classical liberalism and republicanism, and enacted the Virginia Religious Freedom Act (1779, 1786). This law later became the basis of the First Amendment to the American Constitution, and Jefferson-style democracy was named after him. He founded and led the Democratic Republican Party, which became the predecessor of today's Democratic Party and ruled American politics for a quarter of a century. Jefferson was the second governor of Virginia (1779- 178 1), the first secretary of state (1789- 1793) and the second vice president of the United States (1797-653).

In addition to his political career, Jefferson was an expert in agriculture, horticulture, architecture, etymology, archaeology, mathematics, cryptography, surveying and paleontology. He is also a writer, lawyer and violinist; Founder of the University of Virginia. Many people think that he is the cleverest of all American presidents. At the dinner hosted by 1962 for 49 Nobel laureates, John F. Kennedy said to a group of social elites, "I think the White House has gathered the most talents and human knowledge tonight-maybe not when Jefferson ate here alone." ("I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talents and human knowledge ever gathered in the White House, except perhaps when Thomas Jefferson dined alone." )

Concise biography

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First, early occupation and education.

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According to the julian calendar adopted at that time, Jefferson was born on April 2, 1743; However, according to the Gregorian calendar he used when he was alive, Jefferson's birthday was1April 3.

Jefferson was born in a wealthy family, ranking third among ten brothers (with two stillbirths). Father named Peter Jefferson, a farmer and land surveyor, owns a farm named Shadwell in Albemarle County, Virginia. Mother Jane Randolph is the daughter of Ethan Randolph and Jane Rogers, and the cousin of Peter Jefferson. Ishahan got married in Shadwell parish church in east London, England. Thomas Jefferson's parents were both immigrant families living in Virginia.

After the mansion was destroyed by fire, Peter Jefferson moved his family to the marginal mountain. The ridge was named after the first battle of the English Civil War, which helped john lilburne develop his political career in the17th century. Jefferson's sister Lucy married Charles Li Erben Lewis and named a son Libney. My brother Randolph also named a son Liebnet.

From 65438 to 0752, Jefferson studied in a school run by Scottish priest william douglas. At the age of 9, he began to learn ancient Latin, ancient Greek and French. 1757, 14 Jefferson lost his father. He inherited about 5,000 acres of land and dozens of slaves. Jefferson built his own house on the land he inherited, which was later named Monticello.

After his father died, Jefferson studied in a school run by James Maury, a learned priest, from 1758 to 1760. The school is located in Fort fredericks, fredericks, 0/2 miles (19 kilometers) away from Shadwell. Jefferson boarded with Murray, received a classical education, and studied history and natural science.

16 years old, Jefferson entered the philosophy department of William and Mary College in Williamsburg, from 1760 to 1762, which lasted for two years. Jefferson studied mathematics, metaphysics and philosophy under Professor William Small. Small introduced the works of English empiricists, including John Locke, Francis Bacon and Sir isaac newton, to the enthusiastic Jefferson. Jefferson later called them "the three greatest men in the history of the world". It is said that Jefferson's college life was 15 hours of reading every day. He took Greek grammar books and French proficiency with him, practiced the violin, and liked the works of cornelius Tacitus and Homer in Cornelius.

Jefferson used to be a member of the mysterious flat hat club in the college, and now all the student newspapers in the college are named after this club. 1762 After graduating with honors, he turned to study law with his mentor and friend George Wythe, and was qualified as a lawyer in Virginia on 1767.

1772, Jefferson married the widowed Martha Velaise skelton (1748-82) and gave birth to six children: Martha Jefferson Randolph, 1772- 1836), Jane Randolph (/. 1778- 1804), Lucy Elizabeth (1780- 178 1 year), Lucy Elizabeth (1782-). Martha skelton died on1September 6, 782, and Jefferson never recovered.

2. Political career from 1774 to 1800.

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Jefferson enforced the law in the House of Commons in Virginia. He wrote an overview of British American rights in 1774, and led the Virginia local council to the Congress. This pamphlet became a powerful argument for Americans against British colonists, promoted American independence and marked Jefferson as one of the most profound debaters among patriots.

Jefferson, the main author of the American Declaration of Independence, devoted himself to American political culture and folk culture. The five-member committee appointed by the Continental Congress unanimously agreed that Jefferson should draft the full text of the declaration alone.

1776 In September, Jefferson returned to Virginia and was elected to the newly established Virginia House of Representatives. Jefferson was determined to reform the state's legal system during his term of office to make Virginia a democratic state. In three years, he drafted 126 bills, including abolishing the right of the eldest son to inherit, establishing religious freedom, and modernizing the judicial system. 1778, Jefferson's "More Universal Knowledge Dissemination Act" promoted a series of academic reforms in his alma mater, including the first elective system established by American universities.

Jefferson was governor of Virginia from 1779 to 178 1 and supervised the migration of Virginia from Williamsburg to Richmond in 1780. He kept calling for the educational reform of William and Mary College, including China's first honor code of student autonomy. 1779, at Jefferson's instruction, William and Mary College appointed George Wheeler as the first law professor in American universities. Dissatisfied with the reform process, Jefferson later founded the University of Virginia, the first institution of higher learning in the United States that had nothing to do with religious teachings.

During Jefferson's administration, Virginia was invaded by Britain twice. Jefferson himself was captured by the British cavalry who raided Charlottesville several times, but he was able to escape. The public was angry at the government's inability to resist aggression, which almost ruined Jefferson's political future; But after the siege of Yorktown, public anger gradually subsided.

Jefferson was stationed in France from 1785 to 1789 and did not attend the US Constitutional Convention. Although he gradually supported the new constitution, he still believed that it was flawed because it lacked a bill of rights.

After returning from France, Jefferson served as the first Secretary of State in George Washington's administration (1789- 1793). He and alexander hamilton began to argue about the national fiscal policy, and Jefferson equated Hamilton with other fanatical federalists and royalists. 1790, Jefferson was deeply afraid that the "Hamiltonism" of his "royalism" was prevalent, and wrote that "Hamilton's followers were panting ... eager for the crown of the emperor, prince and bishop." ("Hamiltonians panted after ... and longed for crowns, crowns and crowns") Jefferson and james madison founded the Democratic Party and the Party, and became the leaders of the Party. The system they established with Madison's campaign director, john baker, is called the first party system. 1793, a war broke out between Britain and France. Jefferson strongly supported France, while Hamilton and Washington supported Britain after concluding the Jay Treaty. Jefferson resigned from Montessori and was elected as the vice president of the United States (1797- 180 1).

Due to the quasi-war with France (the two navies declared war), the Federalist Party led by john adams strengthened and recruited Lu Haijun, at the same time levied new taxes to prepare for the war, and in 1798, the Civil Aliens and Incitement Act was enacted. Jefferson interpreted this law as attacking his party, not dealing with dangerous foreign enemies. He and Madison are both supporters of reorganization, and anonymously wrote the resolutions of Kentucky and Virginia, arguing that the Constitution is only an agreement between the states and the federal government, and the federal government has no right to exercise matters that are not expressly stipulated in the Constitution, and the actions of the states against the federal government can be regarded as invalid. This proposal is the first statement of state power theory in American history, which sets a precedent for refusing to implement federal regulations and intervention theory in the future.

Jefferson worked closely with new york's Elon Burr to reorganize his political party, especially to deal with the new tax collection in the 1800 US presidential election. The Federalist Party refuted Jefferson as a deist and atheist, calling him an enemy of Christians. Jefferson and Burr tied for the first place in the electoral college, and the election result must be decided by the US House of Representatives controlled by the Federalist Party at that time.

After a long debate, Hamilton persuaded his colleagues in the House of Representatives. He believes that rumors in the election process will corrode the new American government; Politically, Jefferson did less harm. The House of Representatives elected Jefferson as President and Burr as Vice President by the resolution of February 180 17.